Can you imagine not using a purse or handbag? I can’t. According to history we owe our thanks for this handy item to the Egyptians. Archaeologists interpret Egyptian hieroglyphics as seeing pouches with straps being shown carrying what is believed to be essentials that were needed for survival. In the early 1400’s the pouches started to grow into more of the typical handbags of today and they became quite a status symbol. The more embellished your handbag was with decorations the greater your status in society was.

[caption id="attachment_1608" align="alignright" width="273" caption="Handbags can be simple or elaborate"][/caption]

Back in the 1500’s it was very common for men as well as women to carry bags. They were often made of leather or a heavier cloth material with long straps on them so they could be carried over the shoulder. At that time they usually had draw strings or a flap style closures on them. In the 1600’s they started to introduce pockets on man’s trousers so it wasn’t as necessary to carry an extra bag for their valuables so the trend started to change for them. Extra pockets on woman’s clothes didn’t seem as flattering so they didn’t become as popular then so handbags were still a necessity for carrying personal items.

By the early 1700’s fashionable handbags were often referred to as reticules and they were fast becoming a hot fashionable item. At that time they were still mainly closed with a drawstring or a flap type closure. It was closer to the 20th century when handbags and purses grew to be more similar to today’s styles with multiple compartments and they started using zippers for closures. There was a time back in the 1940’s when zippers, leather and metal frames were not as readily available because of the war efforts so some handbags were made of plastic and even wood. It was also in the early 1900’s that the term handbag started and it usually referred to hand held luggage bags that were carried.

With today’s technology we are very fortunate to have numerous styles and materials available to us to choose from. Handbag designers of today try to get their item shown off by a celebrity to gain instant fame which may be great for them but that can make the price more than what most people can afford or are willing to pay. Because we all love to have more than one handbag owning a Christian Dior Lady, GUCCI, Prada or Louis Vuitton Handbag may not be within our means but we do have a variety other options. Hand crafted handbags are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and can be found at a reasonable price. Whether you need a fashionable bag to carry some small items in for a night out on the town or a larger one to carry diapers and baby needs in you will be able to find the perfect one. Men may have an advantage over women because they seem to have more pockets in their clothes than women do but they miss out on the fun of accessorizing by finding the perfect bag.

Lanette Herrmann is co-founder of Something and More Hand Crafted Gifts, http://www.somethingandmore.com, and has enjoyed woodcrafting and other types of crafts for many years. She started out learning how to braid rugs with her grandmother. She got her love of hand stitching and weaving rugs from her mother. She also enjoys quilting, using the scroll saw and many other woodworking tools. When she isn’t working at her full time job, Lynn’s favorite pastime is spending time with her family.”

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